Ukraine-Russia war – live: Putin’s soldiers surrender after counterattack as G7 leaders agree $50bn Kyiv loan

✕

Close

Zelensky says China trying to undermine Ukraine peace summit

Dozens of Russian soldiers have appeared to surrender to Ukraine troops after Kyiv launched a counterattack around the city of Vovchansk.

A video released by Ukraine’s 3rd Assault Brigade shows Ukrainian soldiers taking at least 24 Russians as prisoners of war.

It comes as the US and Ukraine signed a security agreement at the G7 summit in Italy on Thursday, as world leaders agreed to a $50bn loan to help Kyiv following the Russian invasion.

Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, described the pact as a “real marker” of the US commitment to Ukraine, “not just for this month and this year, but for the many years ahead”.

Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media that the document is “unprecedented, as it should be for leaders who support Ukraine“.

The agreement will not commit US troops directly to Ukraine‘s defence against Russia‘s invasion. That is a red line drawn by the US president, who does not want to have America pulled into a direct conflict with nuclear-armed Moscow.

1718398808

Ukraine arrives at Euro 2024 to a patriotic welcome and vivid reminder of the war at home

With patriotic songs broadcast and thousands of exiled Ukrainians in the stadium, the men’s national team was made to feel at home at its first training in Germany for the European Championship.

After the national anthem played, and before the warmups began, there was a vivid reminder of the war at home that is a constant and uniting force for this Ukraine squad.

Each player had a ball to give to a fan and Oleksandr Zinchenko presented his to a military veteran who had prosthetic legs below each knee.

Ukraine arrives at Euro 2024 to a patriotic welcome and vivid reminder of the war at home

The Ukraine men’s soccer team was made to feel at home for its first practice in Germany for the European Championship

Maryam Zakir-Hussain14 June 2024 22:00

1718395208

US submarine pulls into Guantanamo Bay a day after Russian warships arrive in Cuba

A U.S. Navy submarine has arrived in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in a show of force as a fleet of Russian warships gather for planned military exercises in the Caribbean.

U.S. Southern Command said the USS Helena, a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine, pulled into the waters near the U.S. base in Cuba on Thursday, just a day after a Russian frigate, a nuclear-powered submarine, an oil tanker and a rescue tug crossed into Havana Bay after drills in the Atlantic Ocean.

The stop is part of a “routine port visit” as the submarine travels through Southern Command’s region, it said in a social media post.

US submarine pulls into Guantanamo Bay a day after Russian warships arrive in Cuba

A U.S. Navy submarine has pulled into Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in a show of force as a fleet of Russian warships gather for planned military exercises in the Caribbean

Maryam Zakir-Hussain14 June 2024 21:00

1718391608

Triumphant Meloni holds court at G7 summit as fellow leaders face uncertain futures

Basking in her recent European election success, a triumphant Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni is holding court at a G7 summit marked by the uncertain political futures facing her fellow leaders.

With her contemporaries in Puglia contending with challenging domestic elections or troubling poll ratings, the Italian premier alone has entered the summit from a position of stability, seeking to further her own agenda for Italy.

While the Ukraine war and stability brought by Joe Biden’s US presidency had lent unity to proceedings in recent years, the prospect of Donald Trump’s return and a number of other elections has imbued this week’s summit with a different sense of urgency to reach agreements while the status quo still remains in place.

Triumphant Meloni holds court at G7 summit marked by uncertainty

The three-day summit’s agenda carries clear signs of Ms Meloni’s domestic goals

Maryam Zakir-Hussain14 June 2024 20:00

1718388008

Biden and Zelensky strike long-awaited security deal: ‘We’re going to stand with Ukraine’

President Joe Biden on Thursday announced three new measures that he said will create “a stronger foundation” for Ukraine in its bloody war against Russia: a sweeping bilateral security agreement between the United States and Ukraine, a $50 billion loan for Kyiv backed by the Group of Seven countries, and new sanctions against Russian individuals and entities.

Speaking alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Puglia, Italy, Biden said those “three major steps” would show Russian President Vladimir Putin that he cannot wait out or divide the western alliance, which will remain on Kyiv’s side “until they prevail in this war.”

Biden and Zelensky strike 10-year security deal: ‘We’re going to stand with Ukraine’

“We will say it again: Yes, again and again and again, we’re going to stand with Ukraine,” Biden said

Maryam Zakir-Hussain14 June 2024 19:00

1718384408

A peace summit for Ukraine opens in Switzerland, but Russia won't be taking part

Switzerland will host scores of world leaders this weekend to try to map out first steps toward peace in Ukraine even though Russia, which launched and is continuing the war, won’t take part.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government didn’t want Russia involved, and the Swiss — aware of Moscow’s reservations about the talks — didn’t invite Russia. The Swiss insist Russia must be involved at some point, and hope it will join the process one day.

Ukrainians too are considering that possibility, Zelenskyy’s top adviser says.

A peace summit for Ukraine opens in Switzerland, but Russia won't be taking part

Switzerland will host scores of world leaders this weekend to try to map out first steps toward peace in Ukraine

Maryam Zakir-Hussain14 June 2024 18:00

1718380808

Russian forces ‘deliberately starved’ Ukrainians in Mariupol, new report claims

Russian forces deliberately starved Ukrainians in Mariupol as a tactic of war by targeting their water, food and medical facilities before taking the strategic port city in 2022, according to an investigation by an international human rights group.

Satellite imagery showing evidence of attacks on civilian infrastructure in the city, including food distribution centres, was collected by Global Rights Compliance’s Starvation Mobile Justice Team, and relate to the first 85 days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine before the fall of Mariupol.

In a report on “Russia’s siege, starvation, and capture of Mariupol city”, the rights group said its investigators analysed reams of satellite imagery as well as pictures, videos, public statements and digital data to make the assessment. The investigation took about a year to complete.

Russian forces ‘deliberately starved’ Ukrainians in Mariupol, new report claims

Russians targeted civilian food, water and medical facilities as tactic of war before capturing strategic port city in 2022, says report by human rights group Global Rights Compliance

Maryam Zakir-Hussain14 June 2024 17:00

1718379008

NATO approves a plan to speed security aid and training to Ukraine's beleaguered armed forces

NATO defense ministers on Friday approved a plan to provide reliable long-term security aid and military training for Ukraine after delays in Western deliveries of funds, arms and ammunition helped invading Russian forces to seize the initiative on the battlefield.

Kyiv’s Western backers have mostly concentrated their efforts through the Pentagon-run Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a forum for around 50 countries to drum up the weapons and ammunition the war-ravaged country needs most.

The new plan would be a complementary effort. Announcing the move after chairing a meeting of defense ministers in Brussels, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the effort would be headquartered at a U.S. military base in Wiesbaden, Germany and involve almost 700 staff.

NATO approves a plan to speed security aid and training to Ukraine's beleaguered armed forces

NATO defense ministers have approved a plan to provide reliable long-term security aid and military training for Ukraine

Maryam Zakir-Hussain14 June 2024 16:30

1718377208

Luxembourg joins Czech-led ammunition drive for Ukraine, minister says

Luxembourg has joined a Czech-led initiative to buy ammunition for Ukraine, the Czech defence minister said on Friday.

Prague said in May that it had contributions of more than 1.6 billion euros that could cover half a million shells this year for Ukraine as it fights Russia‘s invasion.

“Today, Luxembourg joined the countries that will contribute financially to the Czech ammunition initiative,” Jana Cernochova said in a post on social media platform X.

Cernochova did not say how much money Luxembourg was contributing.

Ukraine has been urging Western allies to step up military aid to help it repel Russian forces, now well into the third year of their invasion.

Maryam Zakir-Hussain14 June 2024 16:00

1718375869

Here is the latest on Russia from the G7 summit in Italy

• The leaders agreed on an outline deal on Thursday to provide $50 billion of loans for Ukraine using interest from Russian sovereign assets frozen after Moscow invaded its neighbour in 2022.
• The summit’s communique includes a pledge to continue applying significant pressure on Russian revenues from energy and other commodities, including by improving the efficacy of the oil price cap policy.
• The statement said the G7 would take additional sanctions on “those engaged in deceptive practices while transporting Russian oil” and raise the costs of Russia‘s war by building on the comprehensive package of sanctions and economic measures already in place.
• Britain, Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Japan and the United States promised sanctions against entities that helped Russia circumvent sanctions on its oil by transporting it fraudulently.

Maryam Zakir-Hussain14 June 2024 15:37

1718374758

Canada's defense investment in the Arctic puts it on track to meet NATO guideline, minister says

Canada looks on track to meet NATO’s military spending guideline soon, Defense Minister Bill Blair said Friday, notably by boosting investment in the Arctic near its shared border with Russia as the region warms quickly due to climate change.

After Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014, NATO allies agreed to halt budget cuts and move toward spending 2% of their gross domestic product on defense within a decade. Canada was barely spending 1% at the time.

Last year, as it became clear that Russia’s war with Ukraine would grind on, they decided that 2% should be a spending minimum. According to NATO figures, Canada was estimated to be spending 1.33% of GDP on its military budget in 2023.

“My defense spending budget will increase by 27% next year over this year,” Blair said at a meeting with his NATO counterparts in Brussels. “We’ve begun the important processes of acquiring the additional capabilities that we require (and) to meet NATO’s requirements of us.”

He said that Canada is investing “quite significantly in the high Arctic” and building new military capabilities like maritime sensors that can detect threats.

Maryam Zakir-Hussain14 June 2024 15:19

NewerOlder